Why Parks and Recreation is So Popular

“Honor: if you need it defined, you don’t have it.”

Ron Swanson

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If you had read the above quote without the title or citation to give you a little context, you likely would have thought it was an inspirational quote found on Pinterest, not taken from Ron Swanson’s Pyramid of Greatness from the comedy show Parks and Recreation.

Comedy is a misunderstood genre. I don’t mean misunderstood in the sense that it’s underrated or overlooked, I mean misunderstood in the sense that most people just don’t understand it. We think comedy is cleverly constructed jokes and punchlines, but it’s not. Comedy is truth, comedy is reality. Comedy addresses the subjects that are considered impolite to discuss.

Why are fart jokes funny? Because we’ve all been there (not me, though. I’m a lady, and lady’s don’t fart).

Why are grouchy next-door-neighbors in so many shows and movies, often the butt of the joke? Because we’ve all had them and we all wish they were the butt of so many jokes we’ve thought up.

We’ve all had a boss like Micheal Scott, or a nerdy friend like Ross Geller, or an annoying travel companion like Del Griffith. That’s why we laugh.

But back to Parks and Rec.

The best comedy can’t just be stereotype characters. The most memorable comedy shows and movies have something that’s moving. We have to relate or empathize with the characters or the story. Let’s dive into the characters of Parks and Rec, and take notes for the next time you want to write comedic characters.

Leslie Knope: The go-getter, hard-working, ambitious female lead. Her passion is pushed over the top to become overwhelming for comedy purposes. Leslie is known in the show as a “bulldozer” and is sometimes hypocritical, over-invested, and adamant that her way is the best way. However, her redeeming qualities make her loveable. Her hyper-intensity and over-investment makes her one of the most caring friends you’ll ever see on television. Her gifts are always thoughtful and her passion and hardwork are admirable.

Ron Swanson: Ron Swanson is the grouchy libertarian who, while firmly believing that the government has no say in people’s lives, also has strong opinions and frequently passes judgment on those who don’t live up to the Swanson standard. Despite his sour disposition and his general dislike of people and authority, his strong sense of honor and commitment to treating those worthy of it with respect makes him adored by many.

Ann Perkins: Leslie’s best friend, and one of the few voices of reason in the show. As far as flaws go, her main one stems from her dating life. She always either chooses the wrong guy or gets too wrapped up in having a man. Leslie trusts her with everything, and Ann is her shoulder to lean on.

Tom Haverford: Possibly my least favorite character, Tom is self-absorbed, arrogant, and overly materialistic. However, by the end of the show he is able to use his incredible creativity to build more than one business, and nothing gets him down for too long.

Ben Wyatt: Though at first he is Leslie’s enemy, they eventually get to know each other better and become close. He comes off as a hard-ass in the beginning, but as we get to know him more we see he’s just a shy, adorable, massive nerd.

The list goes on. Donna, Jerry, April, Andy, and Chris. All of these people have blatant flaws and loveable redeeming qualities, just like real life. We all know a Tom, a Ben, an Ann, and a Ron. We laugh at their flaws but love them for their strengths.

Television is often considered to be a waste of time, but I see it differently. Shows and movies offer insights to people and situations we’d never seen before.

Think about your favorite show or movie. Why do you love it? Is it the story, the characters, the style?

Now, if your brain hasn’t erased it from memory, think about your least favorite show or movie. Why do you hate it so much? Were the characters bland? Was the story weak? Was the style atrocious?

Think about what the show or movie was trying to say. What worldviews do you think the characters have? What worldview do you think the writer/director has?

Training yourself to think like this will not only expose you to new ideas, and improve your critical thinking, but it will make your overall enjoyment of the content you consume go up. Who knew there was something to be learned from something as innocent as comedy?